The Manitowoc Fire Department’s purpose is to maintain and improve the quality of life for the residents of Manitowoc by saving lives, protecting property and easing suffering through efficient and effective delivery of emergency services, code enforcement, public education and continuing professional enrichment of staff.

The backbone of any organization, in my opinion, is the people that make up the structure of the organization. The Manitowoc Fire department consists of four primary divisions: Administration, Operations, Professional Development, and Public Education & Prevention.

The administration division provides leadership, and coordinates and accomplishes the mission, goals and objectives of the department. In an effort to meet these expectations, Fire Administration provides policy, develops and administers the department’s annual budget and provides leadership and coordination with the mayor, City Council and other city departments, as well as coordinating with state and local agencies.

The operations division consist of four stations. The firefighters shift structure includes working 24 hours, which is followed by 24 hours off duty, with the total average work schedule of 56 hours per week. There are three shifts: A, B and C. A group of firefighters are assigned to a particular station. The Manitowoc Fire Department has developed and trained a dedicated group of professionals who provide fire and rescue service to the citizens of Manitowoc. The Fire Department places a priority on the safety of the firefighters and departmental staff and maintains a health and wellness program, as well as safety training intended to incorporate this priority into all emergency and non-emergency situations.

The professional development division coordinates all aspects of employee training. This ranges from the coordination and delivery of new hire academies to developing innovative ways to train on ever-changing technical and manipulative subjects. A key aspect of the training division is keeping the department current with the local, state and federally mandated training requirements. To meet the requirements and keep skills honed, personnel are expected to train a minimum of two hours each shift. The Manitowoc Fire Department also helps to maintain and improve skills and knowledge levels and prepare personnel for promotional advancement.

The public education and prevention division is responsible for accomplishing several objectives, including prevention of fires, elimination of fire and life safety hazards in buildings, and maintenance of fire protection equipment and systems. On average, the Manitowoc Fire Department personnel conduct 1,800 inspections, 30 site and development reviews and 4,500 public education contacts per year.

The city budget strikes a cautious balance between managing through a fiscal challenge, yet maintaining a long-term vision. The vision of the Manitowoc Fire Department is to take our department into the future through productive teamwork, open and honest communication and participative decision making throughout the organization. Our department is driven to provide a cost effective and efficient fire department while honoring our values, accomplishing our mission and achieving our goals.

With the economic challenges we still face it is more important than ever to ensure that the financial support entrusted to us is utilized as efficiently as possible in order to continue to meet the service expectations of the community.

I would like to thank the men and women of the Manitowoc Fire Department for their dedication and support of our community. Most importantly, a heartfelt thank you to the people we serve for your continued support.